Vacuum vapor damper-regulator.



vc. METCALF.. VACUUM VAPOR DAMPERV REGULATOR.

4 APPLICATION F'ILED- MAY 21,1917.

1,294,360. j Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

TED

lemen;

yCHAIR'II'EIS METCALF, OF STREATOR, ILLINOIS.

VACUUM VAPOR DAMPER-REGULATOR.

Application led May 21, 1917.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Marc/ALF, a citizen of the United States,resldlng at Streator, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vacuum VaporDamper-Regulators, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vacuum vapor damperregulators.

In connection with vacuum heating systems, it is now customary to employa regulator having a bellows-controlled member for actuating the damperproper, the .1nterior of the bellows being in communication with theheating system so that the bellows contracts and expands in accordancewith variations in the vapor pressure of the system. Heretofore, so faras I am aware, no means have been provided for limiting the amount ofcontraction of the bellows (which are ordinarily made of thin sheetmetal) with the result that when eXtreme vacuum occurs in the system,the bellows are contracted to such an extent as to collapse and renderthem useless.

The object of my invention is to provide a damper regulator of the typeabove referred to wherein means are employed for positively limiting thedegree of contraction of the bellows regardless of the degree of vacuumin the heating system, to thus protect and save the bellows with aconsequent saving in the cost of repairs and replacements.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide aregulator of the type hereinbefore referred to wherein is employed acheck or relief valve for the purpose of equalizing the pressure in thesystem with that in the bellows as the pressure within the system risesto a point where the damper regulator is set to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a regulator of the typeset forth in the two preceding paragraphs which shall be of simpleconstruction, relatively cheap to manufacture, and which can beinstalled with a minimum of effort.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, is shown a central,vertical, sectional view of an improved regulator embodying myinvention.

Specication of Letters Eatent.

Patented Feb. 1i, 1919.

serial No. 169,859.

In said drawing, 10 denotes a sheet metal bellows of usual form, thesame being secured at its lower end to a base casting 11 having adepending interiorly threaded bushing 12. Threaded within .the bushingl2 is the upper end of a nipple section 13, the lower end of said nipplesection 13V being threaded as indicated at 14 and adapted to be screwedinto a boiler or other portion of a vacuum heating system to therebyplace the interior of the bellows in communication with the vaporsystem. The nipple section 13, preferably near the lower end thereof, isprovided on its interior with a conical valve seat 15 with which isadapted to coperate what may be termed a main valve 16, said main valve16 being carried by a hollow tube 17 that extends through theenlargement 18 which and the upper end of the tube 17 is secured theupper plate 23 of the bellows 10.

From the preceding description, it will be seen that when the pressurewithin the heating system falls below atmosphere, the Hexible sheetmetal bellows 10 will contract,

thus lowering the member Q0 and the upper plate 23 of the bellows. Thiscontraction will continue until the main valve 16 becomes seated on thevalve seat 15 and the amount of permissible contraction can be regulatedas desired by properly locating the valve 16 with respect to the valveseat 15, in normal position of the parts. After the valve 16 is seated,it is apparent that no further contraction is permitted even though thepressure within the system may be lowered to a still greater extent andin this way, the bellows are effectively prevented from severecontraction and consequent destruction. Y Y

As the pressure within the system again rises, it is necessary toequalize the pressure of the system as a whole with the pressure withinthe bellows and for this purpose, l have provided a ball check or reliefvalve :2d which is adapted to coperate with an- Y other valve seat 25formed on a perforated partition 26 within the tube 17. At the upper endof the tube 17, are provided openy ings 27 which communicate with theinterior of the bellows so that, as the pressure rises within the System'to a point where the damper regulator is set to operate, the checkvalve 24 will be raised, thus equalizing the pressure and thenpermitting the main valve 16 to be opened and placingy the regulator inproper operation.

flrom the preceding descriptiom'it will beissen that the regulator whichI have provided is of simple construction and positive in its operation,eiiectively preventing collapsey or destruction of the bellowsregardless of 'thedegree of vacuum which may occur yin the heatingsystem.

Although .I lhave herein 'shown and described what I now consider thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the same is merelyillustrative,vand `I contemplate all changes `and inod'iiications that come withinthe scope 'of `thesclaims appended hereto.

I claim: Y 1. In a regulator of the character described, fthecombination with a bellows adapted to be employed with a ,vacuumheatingsystenrand have its interior placed 'in communication with saidsystem, of a valve seat, amain valve cooperable with said seat andoperated bythe contraction and eXpansion yof the bellows, said valvewhen seated shutting-oil"y communication between the interior :of thebellows and the heating system, andareliet-valve associated with saidmain valve.

Q.' In a regulator of Vthe character described, `the Vcombination with abellows adapted to befemployed with a vacuum heatingsystem and fhave itsinterior placed in communicationwith said system, of a valve seat,a'valve coperable with said seat and, when in closed position, shuttingot coinmunicationfrom the interior of thebellows with the heatingsystem, and a member Yattached to and movable in unison with a portionyof the bellows iby which ksaid valve is carried, v said `valve, whenseated, thereby limiting the contraction of the bellows.

3. In ya regulator of the characterV deu scribed, the combination with abellows adapted tofbe .employed with a vacuum heating' system and haveits interior placed in communication with said system, of a valve seat,a valve'zooperable with-said seat and, when in closed position, shuttingolif communication from the interior of the bellows with the heatingsystem, a member attached to and' movable in unison with a portion ofthe bellows .by which said valve is carried, said valve, when seated,thereby limiti-ng the contraction of the bellows, and a check valvecarried by said member.

l. In .a regulator ot the character described, the combination with abellows carried by a pipe member adapted to be attached to a heatingsystem to thereby place Y the interior of the bellows in communicationwith vsaid system, saidY bellows having atop wall, ot' a valve seatlocated within said pipe member, a depending rod extending from theinner surface of said top wall'of Vside of the top Vwall of said bellowsldown within lthe pipe member, "said hollow tube being provided with amain yvalveadapted to cooperate with said valveseat, a check valvelocated within said tube, said tube being provided'with an openingtabove the check valve to permit communication between the interior ofvthe tube abo-ve the valve and the interior of the bellows.

6. In a regulator fof the character described, the combination with abellows adapted to be employed with a vacuum heating system and have its:interior placed in communication withl said system, of a -main valveseat, a main valve coperable with said seat and adapted, when uthe valveis seated, to shutoff communication between the interior of the bellowsand the heating system, and an auxiliary check valve'governingcommunicationV with `the interior of said bellows and adapted to 'breakthe vacuum therein.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis '8rd day ol May, 1917.

CHARLES 'METCALI lllitnesses EDGAR H. WERNER, Emir, PHILLIPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live-,cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner oiPatents,

' Washington, D. C.

